The present invention relates to a sealing shield of the type normally employed for protecting the rolling bodies of rolling-contact bearings.
For protecting the rolling bodies of rolling-contact bearings, provision is made between the bearing rings for annular rubber/metal sealing shields comprising a rigid intermediate supporting portion, and two opposite soft peripheral sealing portions, the inner one of which provides for sliding or labyrinth sealing, and the outer one for static sealing of the other ring, as well as for connecting the sealing shield to the ring itself.
Rigid shields made of synthetic plastic material have also been employed as sealing elements. These, however, are subject in use to severe thermal expansion, so that, when hot, they are permanently deformed and squashed inside the seat, and, when cold, either work out of the seat and become lost or at any rate fail to provide for effective sealing action.